Eddy NgAcademy of Management

Vancouver, BCAugust 2015

Ramping Up Our Game!How Can We Do a Better Job Teaching Diversity

Millennial Generation

“How many of you have kids 30 and under?”

“How many of you ever told them they were ‘SPECIAL’ and could change the world?”

“Can do ANYTHING if they put their minds to it?”

“Gave them (and encourage them to use) a smartphone?”

“Pushed your children to achieve the best, and if they didn’t, gave them a REWARD anyway?”

“You raised them, now manage them”

Generations in the Literature

1901-1945 1946-1960 1961-1980 1981-1995

Veterans Boomers Gen X Gen Y

Kennedy Clinton Obama Millennial

Stereotypes of Millennials

What do Millennials want? Work/life balance Good pay and benefits Rapid advancement Interesting and challenging work Contribute to society

“Want it all,” “want it now”

Intergenerational Workforce

Areas of Gen’l Differences Impact of Technology Attitudes Family and Diversity Employment and Work

(McCready & Hooper, UNCG)

“They have NO WORK ETHIC. They’re a bunch of slackers.”- Veteran / Baby Boomer

“So I told my boss. If you’re looking for LOYALTY buy a dog.”- Baby Boomer

“If I hear, ‘We tried that in ‘87 one more time I’ll HURL.’”- Millennial

“Lighten up! WORK should be FUN.”- Baby Boomer

“I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that.”- Millennial

“I have a new rule. I will NOT attend meetings that start after 5 P.M. I have a life!”

- Gen Xers

Evidence there is Conflict

Evidence there is ConflictKen is 24 and a relatively new recruit to your company. He is very bright and shows much potential. He’s definitely a person your company doesn’t want to lose. However, he’s been coming into the office late and leaving early. His work is completed and done well, yet it’s bothering several of your older employees to see Ken’s lack of commitment to the company and disregard for the understood working hours.

Evidence there is ConflictAs the Human Resources manager, how do you make Ken understand the hours he is expected to work at the company without making him angry? What do you tell your older employees who think Ken is a slacker and refuse to work on team projects with him?

Millennial Work Values

Opp. a

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Work/life

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work

Job s

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Good i

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salar

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Challen

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Opp. p

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Commit t

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Opp. s

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impact

Org'n l

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field

Commit t

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Opp. to

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l3.0

3.2

3.4

3.6

3.8

4.0

4.2

4.4

4.6 4.49 4.46 4.43 4.414.33 4.32

4.23 4.18 4.174.07

3.98

3.84 3.82

3.653.58

3.46

Shifting Work Values25 Work ValuesThings individuals deem most important to their job and working lives

Advancement

Worklife Balance

Achievement

Impact

2.5 2.7 2.9 3.1 3.3 3.5 3.7 3.9 4.1 4.3

3.79

4.07

3.92

3.54

MaturesBoomersGen XersMillennial

The Unhappiest Generation

Career Satisfaction

Met Expecta-tions

Earnings Increases

Advancement rate

Recognition2.52.62.72.82.9

33.13.23.33.43.5

MillennialsGen XersBoomersMatures

Anti-Immigrant and Anti-Multiculturalism

“You can’t all come” to Palestinian girl– Angela Merkel (June 16, 2015)

“MC during challenging times” American Behavioral Scientist 2015, Vol 59 No 6 Separate and parallel lives Old world conflict in the new country Threat to nationalism national

identity Obstacle to equality in liberal

societies Burden to state welfare

Minority Culture Acceptance

Charter of Rights

“Those rights that protect you [free practice of religion] also give gays the right to marry and give your daughter the right to marry a non-Muslim. The Charter protects freedoms for everyone. You can’t pick and choose the rights you want to keep and leave behind the rights you don’t like.”

“Really?” Don’t walk away from scenes of

discrimination and prejudice, demeaning and stereotypical comments, offensive jokes.

Be an “active bystander” “Really?” – a word that a

bystander can use to disrupt a hurtful conversation or behaviour

Picture this

You are doing an ice-breaker during the first class. During introductions, one of your students says he’s from Toronto.

A fellow student sitting from across seems unconvinced and asks: “Yeah, but where are you REALLY from?”

Something about the comment feels wrong. Are you REALLY going to let it go?

Picture this

During a small group discussion, a conversation starts about people’s hobbies.

One of the guys says he enjoys gardening and decorating. That immediately unleashes comments about “real men” and “how gay.”

Everyone laughs but he shuts down.

Are you REALLY okay with this?

Picture this

During a class debate, a woman keeps saying “that’s so retarded!” whenever she disagrees with someone else’s opinion.

Are you REALLY okay with this?

You can change the script…

“Where are you REALLY from?”“What do you mean? He said he’s from Toronto”

Let the class (your friends) know that the situation was uncomfortable

Skin colour or an accent doesn’t define an identity!

Interruption Strategies – be an active bystanderExpress your feelings“I feel [embarrassed] when you [ask that question]”The Silent Stare – the disapproving look speaks volumesUse Humour“Ouch,” “You better put on a body armour after that comment”Bring it Home“What if someone said what you just said about your loved one?”We are friend, right“Billy, as a friend, I have to tell you that comment could get you into a lot

of trouble?“Billy, are you ok? We noticed you have been making some off-colour

remarks lately…”

Here’s Something We Can All Do…

If you see a [black] person being stopped in public by police, approach that person and ask…

“Are you ok?”

Desmond Cole, May 25, 2015

Contact Information

Eddy NgRowe School of BusinessDalhousie UniversityE-mail: edng@dal.ca or @profng